The industrial estate is proposed for land off Burnt Mills Road off the A127 in Basildon. It is planned to have logistics, warehouses, offices, storage, and industrial firms. The huge proposals would see 50,237 sqm of business space, including the demolition of existing buildings and structures and development for up to 72,000 square metres of business space.
The total size of the industrial park is about the same size as 30 football pitches. The development would see some buildings at Bradfields Farm being bulldozed. The plans state the construction phase could see 820 new jobs created, a further 1,870 jobs would be created when businesses take up the space, and it would also see another 790 roles for Basildon workers on and off the site at the firms.
CGI – the business park could boost the economy by £121.7 million a year (Image: Basildon Council planning portal)
The major development is expected to boost the economy by £121.7 million a year from on-site jobs. The operation business park also has “potential to generate” up to £5.5 million per year in business rates, with £2.2 million as income to Basildon Council and its partners.
The proposals include open space for recreational use as well as a two km leisure and activity trail through the site, which could be used for running, cycling and walking.
Bosses behind the plans say “employee well-being has been a focus” and the development would also include “breakout spaces” with seating, planting areas and space for outdoor meetings.
The plans state: “Proposals for the land east of Burnt Mills seek to deliver a high quality, modern, sustainable and well-designed scheme that responds positively to the site’s context, provides benefits to the local community and aspires to positively improve the local environment.
“The proposals involve the creation of a high-quality business park for industrial and logistics uses. The development of the layout has been landscape-led, with significant areas of structural landscaping ensuring that existing hedgerows and landscape features are retained wherever feasible. The proposals will deliver enhanced public access and areas of open space, as well as a substantial gain in biodiversity across the site.
“This site provides a logical opportunity to extend the existing Burnt Mills Industrial Estate and deliver a significant scale of employment floorspace in this location, particularly for larger scale units which cannot be delivered elsewhere in the borough, alongside smaller scale units for smaller local businesses. As such, the development will meet the immediate and pressing identified need for industrial and logistics uses on one sustainable, self-contained site.
“This site provides a logical opportunity to extend the existing Burnt Mills Industrial Estate and deliver a significant scale of employment floorspace in this location, particularly for larger scale units which cannot be delivered elsewhere in the borough, alongside smaller scale units for smaller local businesses. As such, the development will meet the immediate and pressing identified need for industrial and logistics uses on one sustainable self-contained site.
“The development will also specifically deliver a unit in excess of 500,000 square feet, Unit 1, within phase one to meet the identified need for larger scale units, which are in particularly short supply in the borough. The illustrative masterplan also anticipates that three units over 100,000 square feet will be delivered 20 in the outline phases. This will help to attract and retain larger businesses and major employers to Basildon. The provision of smaller units will also provide space for smaller firms wishing to grow their businesses in Basildon.”